The third miracle or sign Jesus performed in John’s gospel is the healing of a man who had been paralysed for 38 years (John 5:1-15), a vivid reminder that healing can be for something sudden or something more long-term. It should not surprise us that God is the healer, since the Bible reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him and that nothing is impossible with God, but long-term conditions often leave us debilitated and no longer really expecting change. This man seems to have had some faith in that he was by the pool at Bethesda which was rumoured to have healing properties; we also see how he responded to Jesus with faith. He is an inspiration to us, a reminder that when God steps into situations, anything is possible. (Jer 32:17, Mark 10:27)
Yet once again, we see the manner of the healing is understated, with Jesus simply speaking to the man. (John 5:8-9) The Word made flesh speaks and healing comes. (John 1:1-18, Heb 1:1-3) Words are powerful, as the book of Proverbs makes clear, as James reminds us. (James 3:3-12); the words of Jesus may seem remarkably mundane, but actually, they contain the power to transform. The man responds in faith, picking up his mat and walking, and we see physical restoration coming in an instant.
John goes on, however, to remind us that Jesus was not only concerned with physical restoration but with spiritual restoration. When he meets the man again subsequently, he urges him to ‘stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ (John 5:14) For Jesus, our relationship with God is more important than anything else that happens on earth, and everything He teaches underlines this fact: ‘If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.’ (Matt 18:8-9) The imagery is stark; the message uncompromising. We can have great physical health and wealth in this world, and if we do, we count ourselves blessed. But Jesus taught that spiritual blessing goes much further and spoke of blessings on those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who seek peace, who are meek and who are pure in heart. (Matt 5:3-10) He wanted this man not only to know the blessings of healing and wellness; He wanted him to use this God-moment and God-blessing to ensure that he left behind the ways of sin. He cared for the man’s soul as well as his body, a reminder to us all that healing can lead to wholeness when Jesus is present.
